Battered Hearts And Better Endings
by Damion-Black
Summary: Roxas has made a bold move in order to end the conflict with Xion. Finding his feelings for her go deeper than friendship, the couple cast aside their old life and begin anew with Axel beside them. But now the organization has caught wind of them. For anyone who was heartbroken by the ending of KH358/2 days. Here's an alternate ending/story with a little romance tossed into the mix
1. The Breaking Point

**Hey everyone this is my first published fanfiction. I wrote this one back in 2011 after I beat Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the first time. Much like any good fan of the game the ending made me more than a little upset. I mean I almost cried, actually cried! I mean seriously what is wrong with me?! 9 times out of 10 I write stories that make everyone else cry! Anyways, so I beat the game and was upset so I went home and hopped onto my fancy little slide phone and wrote this. Then I emailed it to myself, converted it to a word document and completely forgot about it. Now nearly 4 years later I found it again and I was so excited I just had to publish it. So I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I do and I'll be sure to write chapter 2 as soon as I can! Also I would like to thank my brother DarrianBlack, who spent well over an hour and a half editing this story after its last Publishing that for some odd reason was filled with coding. So again Thank you Darrian and everyone should keep a look out for his work!**

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With a metallic "Clank!" Roxas' Keyblade struck the breastplate of Xion's armor. The sound of it rang out in the plaza before the giant clock tower where they had spent so many days together after work. The sound, hollow as it was, brought a tear to his eye. If he had a heart... It would have broken. But even so, something inside him did break. Something special to him. The feelings he had for his friend. The memories it held, were so special to him that it pained him to fight her. To risk his own life to end her's. But even worse for her to do the same. He swung his Keyblade again but missed. Even in her new monster of a form, Xion was just as fast as she had been only days earlier. Roxas spun just in time to draw in a sharp gasp just before he was struck down. Roxas fell, his Keyblade falling from his hand and disappearing from sight in a warm glow of white light. He felt something snap inside his body as he hit the ground with the force of a Darksider's fist. He tried to cry out in pain but nothing came out. The wind had been knocked from his lungs. Rolling to his right side, Roxas pushed up from the ground. Staggering back into his combat stance, he summoned the Keyblade once more and finally caught his breath again. He couldn't do this. He couldn't fight her any longer. His body was battered and beaten, but more than that, his heart was broken. If the situation were any different he would have laughed at the thought. But not now. Not here. He looked up at Xion. The helmet she wore covered her face but he looked deep into her eyes anyway.

Xion's mind was made up. She was going to return to Sora at any cost. Even if it meant she had to destroy her best friend. As much as it killed her to even think of harming Roxas, she knew it had to be done. In her new form she felt unstoppable. And with every blow that struck Roxas, another tear formed in her eyes. She didn't want to hurt him, and she knew he didn't want to hurt her. He never did. If there was any other way to live happily, she would have taken that path rather than this one. By the time she had weakened him enough to be absorbed, her soul felt as if it were being ripped into pieces. The pain she had caused him as well as herself was catching up. Finally, as Roxas stood struggling just to breathe, she returned to her human form. Keyblade in hand, she slowly stepped closer to him until she was within arm's reach.

Still in his crouched attack stance, Roxas looked up at Xion with eyes on the verge of overflowing with tears. In a cracked voice he spoke, "Why, Xion? Why are we doing this?" His body shaking, as he did his best to stay strong.

"Because Sora needs his memories back. He needs US back." She replied. She too was shaking from the pain she had caused them both. She had to finish this before it was too late.

Lifting her Keyblade to the spot in his chest where his heart would have been, she pressed it to his jacket. Roxas, knowing this was his end stood tall, and tossed his own Keyblade aside.

"Do it, Xion. I won't stop you." He said. "How can I? I've never been able to sway you no matter what you wanted."Xion's eyes welled up with tears as she tried to push the blade into his chest. But it wouldn't budge. Better yet she didn't let it. And how could she? Her only friend that had been there for her from the very beginning. The boy who she had traveled across so many worlds with. The boy who had taught her to laugh and feel even without a heart to feel with The boy who now stood proud and ready to die for her, just to make her happy. But most of all, he was the boy whom she had fallen in love with. As little sense as it made, she knew it was true. She loved him, and not even killing Roxas could make the truth of that go away. She had found a new path to happiness. But what about Sora? Where would he be without them? So many questions raced through her head at the same time that she barely noticed when she dropped here Keyblade and fell into his arms. It wasn't until she felt his warm embrace that reality sunk in.

"Roxas, I'm so sorry. How could I be so selfish? How could I be so stupid? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She repeated between sobs as Roxas cradled her in his arms on the ground. He held her close and cried with her. He soon felt a new feeling growing inside of him and he knew it was Xion's feelings. It was how she felt about him and also how he felt about her.

"I'm sorry, Roxas. I'm so sorry." She continued.

"I know, Xion. I know." And he held her in his lap until her sobs became hiccups, then into nothing more than quiet tears. They sat there until almost night fall. Never speaking and never moving. As the night began to settle in, Roxas brushed the raven hair from Xion's sleeping face. She was beautiful. And she was his, literally and emotionally. Sora would have to wait because Roxas was not about to let her go. Roxas stood and lifted Xion into his arms and carried her into the top of the clock tower where they slept together soundly.

The next morning, Roxas awoke in the bed that he and Xion had slept in that night. Only the bed was empty. He bolted upright and looked around. He didn't have to look far because at that moment Xion appeared in the doorway. She was dressed in a soft looking bathrobe and her hair was damp.

"Where did you go?" asked Roxas with a sigh. She smiled and crawled onto the bed to curl up in his arms. "Just a quick shower. Someone else must have lived up here. The water is hot and everything. We could stay here forever if we wanted to." she replied and kissed his cheek. Roxas smiled down at her.

"I'd like that." He said. Roxas pulled her close and kissed her soft warm lips. Xion pressed her hand on his bare chest and kissed him again. This made Roxas jump because he wasn't ready for her cold hands on his skin. Looking down he found he was undressed and sitting in his boxers. He didn't remember taking off his jacket.

"What happened to my coat?" He asked. Xion giggled and hid her blushing face in his chest. "You looked very uncomfortable sleeping in a trench coat, so I took it off of you and put it away for a while." She said tracing the scratches on his chest.

"Good idea." he replied. "It feels good to be out of it for once. Living in that thing for just under a year was as close to hell as I'd like to get."

Xion nodded in agreement, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. "Remember how hot it was in Agraba." she asked.

"Yeah. Just thinking about it is making me sweat." said Roxas with a chuckle. Memories of the past year came back to Roxas like a quiet river, slow and easy. But the flash backs were short lived because there was a noise that thundered above the room, shaking Roxas back to earth. The two looked up at the ceiling then at each other with questioning looks on their faces. Roxas was the first to move from the bed. He pulled on a pair of pants and headed for the door. Quietly summoning his Keyblade, he climbed the stairs that lead to the highest point of the clock tower. When he came to the last few steps, he crouched and peaked around the corner. There he saw a very upset looking Fiery haired man pulling a battered chakram from the clock face. Then driving it right back into it, screaming in anger and pain as he did so. Roxas stayed silent as he watched his old friend vent his frustrations. This continued for another few minutes until Axel finally broke down in tears.

"If I could just get my hands on that bastard Xemnas' throat. I'd make him pay for what he did to Xion and Roxas. The lies that he told them. The pain he put them through. Tearing them apart like that. How could he?" Axel sobbed.

Axel stood and then sat on the edge of the tower just as he had many times before. He unzipped part of his trench coat and retrieved a small wooden stick, with the word "WINNER" stamped on one side. After a moment of just holding it in his hands, Axel threw the stick as far as he could. Roxas recognized the stick as the Popsicle stick he had left back at the castle. It was meant to be a parting gift of sorts. Roxas followed Axel's gaze as the two of them watched the Popsicle stick fall from view.

"If I had known that's what you were going to do with it I'd have kept it for myself." said Roxas leaning against the wall casually. The sound of Roxas' voice startled Axel, who nearly fell off the wall. After a moment of disbelief, Axel pulled himself together enough to hurl himself at his friend whom he had thought to be dead.

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**Well everyone That was chapter one. Please write a review and tell me what you think. I haven't decided if I will continue this one or leave it alone. You decide! Thanks again.**

**-DB**


	2. A Watchful Rose

**Ok so I was so happy with the popularity of my first story I immeadiatly began writing chapter 2. I'm not sure what the immeadiate future holds for me so I'm not sure how soon I will have chapter 3 ready. so until then here's chapter 2! Please write a review and tell me what you think!**

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Xion sat on the bed quietly and listened to the noise that came from above them. She hoped Roxas was ok. As if her thoughts had been spoken aloud, Roxas stepped back into the room.

"Hey, take a guess what was making such a racket up there." He said cheerfully.

"Uh..I...um..." She fumbled for her words for a moment. Giving up she shrugged.

"Think of the most annoying thing in all of the worlds, then give it red hair." He said jokingly.

"Hey, I'm not annoying!" Called a familiar voice. Axel stepped up behind Roxas with a wide smile. He still wore his organization coat and his eyes were rimmed with red that he could easily play off as reflecting off his hair.

"You talk too much." Roxas countered.

"It's not annoying. It's informative." He replied and shoved a hand into Roxas' hair to ruffle it.

Xion shook her head in disbelief. The last time she had seen Axel, they had fought in front of the mansion. Axel seemed to remember this because his expression faded from joy, into regret. He stepped into the room and held up his hands.

"Xion... I'm really sorry about the last time we saw each other. I was under orders to bring you back at all cost. I was blind to what they wanted you to do. I thought I had lost you both." He explained weakly.

"You almost did." Chimed Roxas, humor plain in his tone. Axel gave him a concerned, questioning look. Roxas rubbed his chest where an array of faint scratches and fading bruises patterned his skin.

"She's got a nasty swing. Don't piss her off." He finished. The three of them fell into quiet comfortable laughter when Axel replied,

"I know. Sïax was not happy to have to patch me up." He patted his ribs gently.

A few hours passed and the three friends found that things could go back to the way they had been with only one major change. Axel had ditched his coat and dawned a pair of long kaki shorts that hung well past his knees. He traded his dark black boots for red sneakers and the coat for a far more comfortable black vest with patches of orange and red along the sides. He did however keep the chain from his old coat, which he ripped off its neck line as if it was nothing but an annoying thread, and added it to the collar of the vest.

Roxas had done the same and traded his coat for a simple white over shirt with a red collar and small checkered pattern along the chest and shoulders. His pants were traded for a dull gray pair with ashen knees and calves tacked on.

Xion followed suit and claimed a black spaghetti strap top and matching pleated skirt. She had wanted to keep her boots, claiming they had been comfortable, but eventually traded them for a pair of high top sneakers.

The three of them had agreed to leave the organization behind them and start lives of their own. No more working for the dreams of a single man's goal. No more constant fighting with monsters that probably didn't even notice their own deaths. No, now they could be who they wanted to be and gain their own hearts, their own way. The only true way a heart could be obtained. They would live, they would laugh, and they would never be without one another. Especially Xion and Roxas. Axel had been more than happy for them when he heard that they had fallen for each other. He promised to find the WINNER Popsicle stick he had thrown and treat them all to ice cream as a congratulations.

The trio later found themselves down in the clock tower plaza, searching for the stick. It took longer than they had hoped but eventually Xion found it stuck between the leaves of a bush some 200 feet away.

"Hey guys, I found it!" She called to the boys while jumping into the air excitedly, waving the stick in the air.

"Wow you've got a serious arm." Roxas said a little stunned that it had gone so far with how light weight it had been.

"That's because in our little trio, I am the muscle." Axle replied crossing his arms and looking more than a little full of himself.

"Then that makes one of us the brains." Xion teased coming back to the group.

"Hey I'm smart too!" Axel defended. The three laughed together again and headed to the ice cream shop in the middle of town.

Unfortunately due to the late hour, the store had closed. Axel apologized for the fifth time in the better part of two hours, to which Roxas and Xion waved it off and told him to stop apologizing. To them it was enough of an apology just to have him with them.

"I'll make it up to you guys tomorrow. I promise." Axel told them as they sat together on the edge of the clock tower, just as they had so many times before. Roxas nodded in reply followed by Xion. They stayed silent for a long while just watching the sunset send familiar streaks of orange and pink and finally, red. The color that stayed the longest and traveled the farthest. This thought made Roxas smile to himself. Axel had chosen to stay with them against all odds and abandoned the only life he had ever known, just for them.

As night fell, Xion and Roxas climbed into bed beside each other. Axel found a comfortable position on a long green sofa and was snoring quietly on the other side of the room.

"You know, I think I can get used to this." Xion whispered. The couple stared into each other's eyes. A small line formed in his brow as Roxas gave her a quizzical look.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this. Living here with you. Axel being here. All of us away from the organization. But most importantly..." She tipped her face just enough to press a gentle kiss on his lips. "That." She finished with a smile. Roxas wrapped his arms around her as best as he could and pulled her close where she buried her face in his chest.

"Yeah. Me too." He whispered.

For a while it seemed that Xion had fallen asleep, but not just yet.

"You know the organization is going to be looking for us right?"

Roxas was silent. He knew it was true. The organization would come looking for them. They had probably already figured out that things had not gone as planned.

"Yeah I know. But with the three of us together, we'll be ok. I know it." He replied.

Xion sighed with a tired smile.

"I love you Roxas." And soon she was asleep. Roxas pressed a kiss to the top of her head and whispered he loved her, and fell asleep.

Not long after, the inside of the clock tower was just as quiet as the rest of the town. Axel snored soundly on the couch and only spoke up once, telling who ever he was dreaming about that they "better have it memorized" before falling back into a rhythmic snore. But not all was as safe and sound as it seemed. Across the courtyard, a figure stood on a roof looking in the direction of the clock towers inner windows. Hood drawn up and coat zipped tight, the figure turned to walk away with a dark smile. The only proof anyone had been there was a single rose petal left behind by the figure, which was soon blown away by the soft wind.

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**Edit: So it would seem I have more time on my hands than I thought. As a result, you can look forward to seeing a new chapter every week! That and I'm having a blast with this story. Thanks everyone for the support!**

**-DB**


	3. So What's Next?

**WELCOME ALL to chapter 3 of Battered Hearts And Better Endings! Did you like the last chapter? I'll assume you did because you're here reading this. Did that ending leave you with a ton of questions? If it did all will be explained, I promise. Anyways, as it turns out I'm finding myself with more free time than I thought I would have so I can write as much as I want. SO, without further adieu, I present chapter 3! Enjoy. Follow, Favorite, Review. You know the drill.**

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_CRASH!_

"OUCH SON OF A-" yelled Axel. He had been trying to relight the pilot light to the stove and had to lift the heavy metal frame that held the burners to get to it. In doing so, he hadn't gotten a good grip on the frame and it had come crashing down on his head.

"You ok, Axel?" Called Xion who had been in the bathroom. She was still unsure of her new wardrobe and would constantly check herself in the mirror to make sure it looked alright.

"Well I've certantly had more pleasent accidents but I'll live." He called back rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. He had been successful in lighting the stove once more and prayed he wouldn't ever need to do it again. Shortly after, Roxas returned with his arms loaded with paper grocery bags; full of food and various other things he figured they may need.

"Damn Moogle tried to rob me blind." He announced to make his presence known. He dumped the bags off onto the counter and started unloading them.

"What do you mean?" Asked Xion, coming from the bathroom. Roxas kissed her cheek as she came near before pulling out a box of creamer.

"Little thief wanted 13 munny for just this. I talked him down to half that because there was no way in any world I would ever pay that unless it was boxed in iron and made from pixie dust." He said with a hint of irritation. Looking up at Axel, still rubbing his head and wincing.

"What happened to you?" Roxas asked. Axel hesitated.

"Stoves hurt." He replied.

Later that day, the trio found themselves sitting at the ice cream shop. The weather was getting warmer and the ice cream was melting too fast to take it all the way back to the clock tower. The morning was filled with laughter and joy. More than they had felt in a while. You might say it was because they felt a new air of freedom. The ability to be themselves without being forced to cater to the wills and wishes of others. And you would be right. But it was also the feeling of belonging. They belonged with each other.

"So what's next?" Axel asked finally, breaking the silence that had been lingering for a short while. By this point they had moved back the the tower and were sitting on the edge of the wall as they had in the old days.

"What do you mean?" Asked Xion who had been laying in Roxas' lap. Roxas was playing with a lock of her hair absentmindedly.

"I mean what do we do now? We are free of the Organization. But what happens if they come looking for us? Xemnas won't sit idly by while 3 members abandon his team. Surely he will send someone to sniff us out." He explained. It was a dark subject, but it needed to be brought up. They couldn't ignore it forever so it was best to take care of it early on.

"We live. We are free of the Organization just like you said. And you're right, someone will come looking for us. But when they do, we will be ready for them." Roxas spoke the words as if there was no other choice. In a way, there wasn't. But if it truly came to a fight, Roxas wasn't sure he could win. Let alone protect Xion. Axel could hold his own. That much was certain.

"Then we need to keep our guard up until we know we are safe." Axel was toying with the beads at the ends of his chained collar. Roxas nodded in agreement. Xion remained silent but no one seemed to notice.

The rest of the day rolled on without much excitement save for the lingering effects of being so close to friends. Axel had found a blanket and spare pillow for his couch and was bundled up fast asleep by nightfall. Roxas had fallen asleep in Xion's lap around the same time. Xion on the other hand couldn't sleep. She had a sinking feeling that their happiness wouldn't last as long as they had hoped. As the hours past, Xion never once felt tired. Roxas had long since rolled over in his sleep, so she slid out of bed and headed outside. The long shirt she wore was one of Roxas' undershirts that she had "stolen" from him. The night air was cool and crisp. A direct contrast to the daylight hours. She sat on the edge of the clock tower with her knees pulled to her chest and watched the night pass overhead. But her gaze was drawn elsewhere. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a dark figure standing on the roof across the courtyard. How long had they been there? Who was it?

"Whatcha looking at?"

Xion jumped at the sound of Axel's voice. She stood to face him quickly. Looking back to where the figure had stood. The roof was empty.

"I...uh...nothing. I just couldn't sleep." She said. The worry ate away at her and made her a little more than uneasy.

"You're worried about the Organization arent you?" He asked knowingly. Xion nodded at this.

"Well don't be. We can take care of them if they come looking. Got it memorized?" He said. Xion smiled and nodded.

"What are you doing up?" She asked him, taking the attention off of her. Axel reached to scratch the back of his head.

"Me? Oh I uh... had to use the restroom." He admitted.

"Well let's go back inside. It's getting cold." Xion suggested before stepping past him back down the steps that would lead to their makeshift apartment.

Down in an alley between two tall buildings that made up the border of the clock tower court yard, shadows cloaked a tall figure that had been watching from the roof. He had moved the moment he had been spotted. Hiding down in the alley, Marluxia pulled his hood down and smiled.

"So Axel is aiding and abetting then. Oh the boss is not going to be happy. But I'm sure I'll enjoy every moment of it." He chuckled darkly before opening a portal to the Castle Oblivion and stepped through. The portal closed and vanished without a trace.

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**Thank you for reading once again. Sorry it was a little short but I have something BIG planned for next week's chapter. Review please!**

**And remember. A new chapter will be added every MONDAY so keep an eye out or just Follow the story.**

**Thanks!**

**-DB**


	4. Battered Hearts

**Ok everyone I've Been waiting a very long time to post this chapter but HERE IT IS! I hope you guys are enjoying this story as much as I am while writing it! Favorite, Follow, Review! THANK YOU!**

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Marluxia Leaned to one side as a large grey vase flew passed his head. Smashing on the wall behind him. His smirk never fading. He wasn't happy about having large solid objects being whipped at his head. It was the rare sight of seeing Saïx, lose his cool that had him grinning.

"How is this even possible?!" Saïx roared. He picked up another vase, and hurled it out the open window towards the back of the room. This time Marluxia frowned as he watched it fall from view.

"You know… I kind of liked that one." He said with a hint of irritation. Saïx looked at him thoroughly puzzled with the sadistic man's choice of complaint.

"I fail to see how that is even relevant to the issue at hand. You come back here after several days with no report, no news, nothing at all. And then you come to me and tell me that one of our own is helping two others abandon the Organization? Then you tell me he's been at it for days? In what way does that make any sense?" he growled. Marluxia shrugged. He didn't seem phased by this fact.

"There was nothing to report. I only saw Axel tonight. He had abandoned his coat so I had to be sure it was really him. So I waited. Sure enough, Roxas and the Puppet are living with him in Traverse Town in the clock tower. Perhaps it's where they have made their home and have invited him." The pink haired man said. He brushed a few flecks of dirt from his shoulder and looked back at Saïx with a tired, disinterested expression.

"Who cares who invited whom? What I want to know is WHY they are gone?!" Saïx boomed. His voiced echoing through the room. Marluxia shrugged yet again. Saïx gave him a long disbelieving look.

"Marluxia, you're impassivity is one of the many things I envy, and at the same time, worry about you."

"All you need to know is that it will be dealt with." Marluxia turned his back on a now intrigued Saïx. Pulling up his hood, the Scythe wielding nobody left through a portal of darkness.

"Awe c'mon Haner, give it back!" Pence whined as Haner tossed a small Frisbee into the air at such an angle that it always came back to him. Being shorter than his friend, Pence had been jumping for it for quite a while now and still hadn't managed to snatch it away.

"You've gotta get it yourself." Hayner teased. Ollett stood nearby not really sure who to side with.

"They kind of remind me of us." Said Axel before taking another bite out of his ice cream. The three of them had been sitting on top of the clock tower when the three children had made their way into the plaza.

"Yeah, except I'm pretty positive I could get that Frisbee away from you." Chimed Roxas, shaking his ice cream at Axel. Axel gave him a look that said "Yeah right."

"All I have to do is hit you in the shins and you'll go down easy." He said joking.

"Ok boys, let's not get too rowdy." Xion smiled. She had been the quietest of them for as long as they could remember. Today wasn't any different.

"No way. I wanna see this pipsqueak take me on." Axel stood and stuffed the remainder of his ice cream in his mouth, taking a boxing stance. He looked a little odd in doing so but since his fight with Xion in front of the Mansion, the trio had made a promise to never use their weapons against each other ever again. Not even for play fighting.

"Oh is that so?" Roxas said with a smile that could rival a certain cat he had once met.

"Yes it is little man." Axel teased again. He bounced from foot to foot with a huge smile splayed across his face.

"You asked for it." Roxas warned, then he dove for Axel's waist which caught the tall red haired man completely by surprise. The two of them wrestled on the ground, laughing all the while.

Xion rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Ok boys…Boys…HEY!" She hollered. The two of them looked up just in time to see Xion flying through the air to land on top of them both. Axel let out a grunt as she made contact seeing as he was now beneath the both of them. The laughing continued until Roxas rolled under Xion and scooped her up off the floor, effectively turning her laugh into a squeal. He through her over his shoulder and sprinted down the stairs, Axel hot on his heels. They flung the door open and Roxas Tossed Xion onto the bed and began tickling her. Her shrill laughter only getting more hysterical. It wasn't long until the three of them noticed something was wrong. The first thing they noticed was the abundance of feathers on and around the bed. Next, pages scattered the floor as their book covers lay bare and empty on the floor with them. Axel's couch had been cut to ribbons of fabric and fluff, leaving a marred wooden frame. Looking around the room in horror, the three friends felt the sudden rush of fear like a splash of cold water down their spines. There on the wall was a message that had been cut into the drywall with what could only have been a large blade.

**_Once a XIII_**

**_ALWAYS A XIII_**

Below the message was a signature. Or rather an object that could only belong to one person. Pinned to the wall, was a pink long stem rose held in place by its own thorns.

"Marluxia…" Axel breathed. Xion had been clutching onto Roxas' arm in fear and was shaking. Her eyes brimming with tears that poured down her cheeks as she crushed her eyes shut.

Roxas was stunned into silence. Eyes wide and mouth gaping, he couldn't find his voice. How had they been found? Why didn't he just kill them when he was here? He couldn't have been here long. How had they missed him?

All of these thoughts raced through his head at once.

"I knew it was him…I knew I saw him…" Xion whispered. Fear keeping her voice low and shakey.

"What do you mean?" Asked Axel, he had finally torn his eyes from the message that was carved in the wall of their home.

Xion griped Roxas' arm tighter as she spoke.

"I-I thought I had seen someone watching us last night. I couldn't be sure but now I know. I know it was him. He's been watching us. He's going to kill us." Her silent tears had now burst into hysterics. Axel's eyes widened as realization set in.

"That's why you were out on the roof last night? Isn't it?" He asked. Xion only cried. Axel shook his head, not needing an answer. It was clear that it wasn't safe here anymore.

"Come on. We need to get out of here. We can't stay here." He said pulling his friends onto their feet. Axel hurried through the apartment and began searching the rooms to be sure Marluxia or anyone else hadn't been listening in.

Satisfied when he hadn't found anyone, the red haired assassin escorted the others outside and down to the base of the clock tower. They had to make it somewhere safe befo-…

"Going somewhere?"

Xion, Roxas and Axel gazed out into the center of the plaza. There, standing in the middle of everything like an angel of death, was Marluxia. Graceful Dahlia, his wicked looking scythe in one hand as he plucked bits of dry wall from its blade.

"You three look like you've seen a ghost. What gives?" He asked with a dangerous smile.

"What the hell are you doing here, Marluxia? What do you want?" Roxas suprized himself when he found it was his voice that had spoken up.

"Oh I can't tell you what I want. That's a long list. However I can tell you that I am here to do one of two things. One, you return to the Castle Oblivion with me and I'll deal with you accordingly. Or two, you resist, attempt to fight or run, and I kill you. It's really up to you. But if you want my vote, I vote number two." His voice was like ice and poison.

There was a flash of light and a roar, then Roxas and Axel stood before Marluxia, weapons drawn. Axel's chakrams burned with a fire like never before. The Keyblade in Roxas' hands seemed different. What was once a silver shafted key with a gold grip, was now black as night and looked more menacing than anything he had ever held before.

"That's what I thought." Marluxia purred. In a blur of red and pink, Axel and Marluxia lunged at each other. The flames of Axel's weapons burning uncomfortably close to Marluxia's face as he was forced to take the defensive. Roxas leaped into the air to attack from above only to be knocked aside with the staff of Graceful Dahlia. It cracked across his ribs and threw him to the ground. Axel took the opportunity to strike but missed and found himself slicing at nothing. There was a sharp pain across his back as he too was thrown beside Roxas. Roxas picked himself up and bolted off after the scythe wielder. The pink haired man was incredibly fast for his size, blocking and countering each of Roxas' strikes with ease and precision.

Xion was more scared now than she had ever been in her short life. But how could she sit here while her friends fought for their lives. Summoning her own Keyblade she rushed behind Marluxia hoping to catch him by surprise. Her strike was knocked aside with Roxas' body as he was scooped up and thrown like a rag doll into her.

"Roxas!" Axel cried. His focus on his friend blinding him for only a moment… But that's all Marluxia needed.

_"Roxas... are you really sure that you don't have a heart?"_

_…._

_"You wanna know why I do? Because you're my best friends. The three of us... we're inseparable."_

_…._

_"Bet you don't know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest."_

_…._

_Pat…Pat Pat…_

Red pooled in small gaps of the cobblestone plaza. All was silent. Everyone was still. There was a crackling sound as Axel's Chakrams disintegrated followed by a wet sickly sound as Marluxia slid the blade of his scythe from Axel's chest. The sadistic man smiled and just watched as Axel fell, a thin gap in his chest where his heart should have been.

"Come find me for a rematch Roxas. And then when I kill you I can have that Keyblade that I've wanted for so long." Marluxia called over his shoulder.

Roxas was dumb struck. Axel's eyes were wide, but he was not moving. Roxas' rage welled up within him. Releasing a battle cry, Roxas sprinted after Marluxia, Keyblade drawn. He swung with all his power just as Marluxia vanished behind a portal that vanished as quickly as he had.

Roxas fell to his knees before Axel. His Keyblade had disappeared the moment it had fallen from his hands, freeing them as he buried his face in them and sobbed.

Xion was on the other side of Axel holding him closer to her chest as she pleaded with him not to leave them…

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**Ok so I have a confession to make. As a writer I have learned one major thing when it comes to making someone enjoy your work and that's this: Readers LOVE THEIR PAIN. yeah i know right? And I thought I was deranged. Anyways, come back next week and see what happens. **

**And once again thank you all so much! I love to write and you guys make it so much more enjoyable. So thank you again!**

**-DB**


	5. Death Stroke

**Alright everybody it's been a long time coming but here is chapter 5! Thank you all for being so patient and supportive after all this time. I've made this chapter extra long for you guys so I hope you enjoy!**

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All of Twilight Town was silent. But it wasn't the sort of silence you find when there is a true lack of sound. It was not a silence one searches for to clear the mind. This was a silence of heart. A silence felt deep within the hollow of one's chest. It was eerie and disturbing. It was the type of silence that drives good people to horrible deeds. It was the type of silence that shattered hopes and eliminated dreams. It was the silence of eminent demise.

The sky glowed a dim Crimson hue making the plaza a dark hopeless place to be. Tears and blood merged and held no distinct color in the failing light. Sobs and shakes breathing melded together in rhythm with no way to sense where one ended and the other began.

Soon the sky fell to darkness leaving the stars as the only source of light. But even they were of little help to Xion and Roxas. Their eyes blinded by the tears for their fallen friend.

Axel lay in Xion's lap unmoving. It hadn't been long since Marluxia had plunged his scythe into the hollow of Axel's chest. But time was of no matter to them. Roxas, frozen with shock and grief, hadn't found the strength to move from where he knelt on the blood stained cobblestones. Xion, hadn't been able to let go.

"A-Axel...please... Please get up..." Xion begged. Her voice no more than a whisper. Her tears fell from her cheeks to land on Axel's face. The small triangular tattoos under his eyes warped from the tears like a pencil dipped into a glass of water.

Axel's eyes had closed shortly after Xion touched him. He looked as if he was sleeping. She wanted him to just be sleeping. She wanted to wake him up. She wanted him to tell her to quiet down because she had been squealing from Roxas, who had been pelting her with kisses in their little home in the tower. She wanted this to all be a bad dream. But no, it couldn't be. He felt too real in her arms.

"You must have loved him very much. You haven't moved an inch since he fell." Said a low gruff voice. Roxas tore his eyes from Axel and Xion. Wiping the tears from his eyes he stood and summoned his keyblade.

"Who are you?" Roxas demanded. His voice was strained and cracked. The man stepped closer as to be seen by the both of them.

"The Kingdom Key? I never thought I would lay eyes on such a weapon again." Said the man.

"You're dodging my question. Who. Are. You?!" Roxas punctuated each word with more venom in his voice.

The man did not flinch. Nor did he react to Roxas' threatening demeanor. As the man stepped closer, Roxas and Xion, who had just looked up from Axel to see what was going on, the two could see this man was very... Odd. He wore long billowing blue robes and had a thick grey beard. Upon his head sat a matching blue, very pointy, hat. It was adorned with yellow stars and a single crescent moon.

"My name is Yen Sid. And I think I can help. It has been a long time since I had a hand in anything beyond watching over the balance of the worlds." Yen Sid stepped in front of Xion and knelt to scoop Axel into his arms.

Roxas started to protest. Yen Sid had no more than stood up and was looking down the shaft of the Kingdom Key.

"What makes you think you can just walk away with Axel's body?" Roxas snarled.

"What makes you think you can stop me? I know more about that Keyblade than you ever could. I also know how to use one myself." Yen Sid shot back. Roxas was stunned. He hadn't been expecting that.

"And please, don't say 'body' he isn't dead. But he surely won't last much longer if you hold me up."

Yen Sid brushed past the both of them.

"Where are you taking him?" Xion asked. She stood and held Roxas' arm for support. Her legs were still wobbly beneath her.

"To the tower, young lady. Go and deal with that man with the scythe and then come find me. Take the M Train from down town. It will lead you to me." Yen Sid called back.

Before either of them could ask another question, Yen Sid disappeared.

Roxas banished the Keyblade and wrapped his arms around Xion.

"Come on. We need to get it together. Axel needs us. And we need to take out Marluxia. Once we have we can leave. We can go somewhere safe with Axel and they won't ever bother us again."

Xion listened to his words, hoping to find comfort in them. And somehow just like always, she did. She leaned away from Roxas, supporting her own weight again.

She took in a deep shaky breath and let it out in a rush. It filled her with strength and she took Roxas' hand in hers.

"Let's go get him." She said with more determination that she honestly startled herself a little. Roxas grinned and nodded once.

"Yeah. For Axel." He agreed. The two of them summoned a large portal of darkness. It's edges dancing and floating like a snake in water. The two of them looked at each other. Kissed once more for luck, and jumped.

"So, I see you had a nice trip." Said Luxord. The tall, blonde haired, gambler sat at a small table with a deck of cards spread out in front of him as usual. Marluxia sat down across the table from Luxord.

"You could say that. Managed to get back without getting burned." He said. A devilish smile spread across his lips. Luxord didn't notice the smile as he was far too engrossed in his game. The smile fell from Marluxia's face slowly. The hall was quiet save for the occasional sliding and shuffling of cards. The silence was irritating, so Marluxia excused himself, bumping the card table just enough to shift the cards that lay there. Luxord shook his head and mechanically set to fixing the cards.

Down the hall and several flights of stairs, the pink haired reaper passed the lab in which Xion had been created. Inside the room was Vexen. The blonde, scientist was scratching notes endlessly into a tablet of paper with one hand while keeping his eyes focused of a large clear sphere in the center of the room.

Inside the sphere was an uncountable number of bright lights. This is not to say it held many of them, but instead that they were moving too quickly. Darting around inside the sphere, the lights seemed very much alive. Almost as if they knew they were trapped and wanted to be free. The thought brought a smile to Marluxia's otherwise grim expression.

"What are these?" He asked. Vexen jumped, startled that someone else had entered the room.

"What are you doing in here?!" Vexen asked. His voice shrill. He sounded like the perfect mad man as he worked to try and push Marluxia out of the room. But the tall man was unmovable. Eventually Vexen realized he was not going to win this time around.

"Fine but please just shut the door." Vexen begged. A request that Marluxia did not argue with. He shut the door and leaned against it.

"So what is all of this?" He asked again.

"This, believe it or not, is what we have fought so hard to achieve all this time. These are Hearts. Hearts in their most basic form. I've managed to recreate them in a way that when we absorb them within ourselves, they should be easy to mold to our own memories without any-" Vexen was cut off by a loud rumbling noise outside in the hall. The two nobodies looked at each other, to the door, then back to each other before hurrying into the hall.

The castle was filled with dust and smoke. Marluxia couldn't see a thing. He ran to the source of the problem. He found Larxene and Xigbar buried under rubble from what was once the castle gates.

"What's going on!?" He shouted to anyone that would answer. Vexen finally caught up with him, huffing and puffing behind him. The man was obviously out of shape.

"What happened here?" The blonde man asked through gasps of air. There was another blast from behind them. Vexen gave Marluxia a look that begged him not to make him run again. Marluxia however didn't care in the slightest, and as a result, took off running.

At the other end of the castle, the common room had collapsed in on itself. Luxord had been so engrossed in his cards that he hadn't noticed the first blast. The cave in had caught him by surprise. Marluxia arrived just in time to see the gambler vanish into fragments of nothingness. The result being his demise. Demyx and Lexaeus had suffered the same fate. Not giving a second thought to the others, Marluxia dove into the pit of rubble to see what was causing the cave in? It was dark beneath the castle and the dust that hung in the air made it hard to breathe. Covering his mouth and nose with his arm, he summoned his scythe and continued onward into the dark.

Since entering the castle foundation, Marluxia heard four more cave-ins from all directions. To his surprise, the castle foundation was made up of hundreds of tall pillars. Their details difficult to make out in the darkness.

A fifth cave in sent Marluxia to the ground as the floor, or rather the ceiling, crashed down mere feet away. The dirt that was kicked up left the nobody hacking and gasping for air. Once he recovered, he pressed onward.

Having walked to what he assumed was the center of the castles foundation, Marluxia stopped. Looking around into the pitch around him, he tried to make out the lay out of the area but wasn't having any luck. He would have remembered later, hearing the sounds of running feet if he hadn't been caught off guard by a blinding pain that seared across his back. The man let out a shriek of pain and spun to strike back but made contact with a pillar. The impact sending cracks through the structure which initially led to yet another cave in.

Getting to his feet, he waved away the dust and debris. Another sliver of pain slashed across his legs like a thin white fire. The pain forcing him to his knees. He gripped the staff of his scythe firmly and pulled himself to his feet.

"Where are you!?" He screamed into the dark. A bright light shown through the hole of the newest cave-in. In the rubble, Marluxia noticed a bit of familiar grey hair that quickly evaporated into oblivion. Zexion was now dead as well. Marluxia began looking around frantically searching. Searching for his attacker.

"Answer me!" He screamed again. His breathing quickening he began to panic. Another cave in sent him scrambling away, tripping over a jagged stone. He was sent sprawling to the ground but was quick to recover. He felt the pain rip through his body again, and again, and again. He couldn't catch its source. Finally, after his screaming became little more than pain stricken breathing again, he saw him. No, not him. He saw, them. Roxas and Xion strode up to him without the barest hint of sympathy upon their childlike faces.

Marluxia started to laugh. The sound was so strange coming from him it was unnatural.

"I knew you couldn't stay away for long. I knew you would come looking. You never could stay in ignorance for more than a moment." He taunted.

With blinding speed, Xion shot forward and slashed at his arms. She hit her mark and left him howling in pain. Roxas followed suit, managing to get a solid hit in on Marluxia's chest. The pain was unbearable.

Xion moved again, but this time she was caught with the back side of the scythe. The spiked cross like head piece caught her in the ribs and tossed her like a doll away from Marluxia. Roxas took the opportunity to land another hit. This one caught Marluxia squarely on the collarbone. He couldn't be sure, but Roxas thought he heard it snap. Xion got to her feet and dashed again. Roxas mimicked her movements and the pair sent the pink haired sadist into a spin that threw him to the ground. If Roxas hadn't been sure about the shoulder before, he was certain it was broken now. Marluxia howled in agony to confirm it as true.

Roxas loomed over the nobody, expressionless save for the look of vengeance in his eyes. Roxas lifted the Keyblade over his head to deal the killing blow. The Keyblade fell hard and quick as a whip, but it did him no good. A thick vine of thorns slammed into his chest and sent him and his weapon skittering in opposite directions.

"Heh... Did you seriously think... I would go down... That easy?" Marluxia staggered to his feet. The vine slithered back into the ground where it had come from. Roxas and Xion dashed towards the man again but we're knocked aside yet again by another vine. The thorns tore at their clothes and skin leaving bloody gashes.

The both of them let out pained yelps but recovered quickly. Xion did so while airborne, landing on her feet. Roxas was forced to the ground on his back. Neither of them said a word.

"You two were always my favorite little screw ups. Always getting in the way. You couldn't just do your job and keep quiet." Marluxia's tone was somewhere between enraged and thoughtful. His scythe dragged behind him filling the whole area with the grinding sound of metal on stone. Xion ran forward to take the first strike. She was met with a block by the staff of the weapon. Roxas ran after her, swiping at Marluxia's legs. He missed.

Marluxia leaped into the air over Xion's head and landed behind her. In doing so, he had hooked the back of her shirt with the dull notch on his blade and flung her over his head. She was pulled into the air and slammed into the ground hard. The impact resonating through the whole area. She was unconscious. The only indication she hadn't been killed on impact was the sharp, pained cry she made and the fact that she hadn't disappeared. Now it was just Marluxia and Roxas.

Roxas had one more trick up his sleeve. A trump card to end this quickly. Throwing his free hand to the side, he summoned a second Keyblade. Something he could have only dreamed of doing before. This was Xion's Keyblade.

"Well, that's a neat little trick. It still won't do you any good!" Marluxia called, then dashed forward lead by his thorn vines. Roxas broke out into a run as well, grinding the Keyblades on the ground causing sparks. It lit up the darkness for a brief moment before the vines and Keyblades clashed.

As the vines kept Roxas on the defensive, Marluxia took the offense, slashing at the boy with Graceful Dahlia. The attacks were no good. In the flurry of blocks and strikes that followed, Roxas managed to land a solid hit, catching his enemy in the jaw once and the chest twice. The vines had receded by this point but Marluxia hadn't. There was no way he was going to lose.

"Come on Roxas. Where's all that ruthlessness I saw against the heartless?" Marluxia taunted.

"It's right here." Roxas shouted back. Roxas kicked the scythe out of his way and brought both Keyblades down hard. The impact of the blow connected with both of Marluxia's shoulders. The bones shattering beneath.

The scythe clattered to the ground as its owners arms were rendered useless. Marluxia fell to his knees. A wide look of fear plastered upon his face as he watched helplessly as Roxas readied himself for his final strike. He crossed each Keyblade across his body, one in front and one behind. He brought the foremost blade across Marluxia's chest while the other followed not far behind. Finally, without stopping, Roxas threw all of his strength into the weapons he held as both blades came back around for a third and final synchronized strike. The end result left what was once a single, fear stricken man, falling to the ground as two half, fear stricken men. Marluxia's body toppled to the ground and shattered into oblivion.

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**I hope you all enjoyed this one. Come back next week for the final conclusion of Battered Hearts And Better Endings!**


	6. Better Endings (New Beginnings)

**This will be the final chapter for Battered Hearts and Better endings. I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. Fav, follow, Review, you know the drill! Thanks!**

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Stone splintered and fell around them as Roxas and Xion ran out of the Castle Oblivion. Roxas had finally roused Xion back to consciousness, explaining that they needed to leave. Once she was coherent, the two of them worked quickly, destroying a few of the remaining pillars that made up the castle's foundation. Once they had begun, the whole castle started to cave in. Their feet pounded the trail before them as they ran as fast as they could, trying desperately to put enough distance between the crumbling structure and themselves. Roofing tiles shattered around them like little missiles.

Roxas looked over his shoulder in time to see a tower falling in their direction. He tried to run faster, never letting go of Xion's hand all the while, but his legs simply would not carry him any faster. Roxas could hear the tower crumbling. The roar of it all growing louder.

"Look out!" Shouted a familiar voice. Not a moment later, the two nobodies were propelled forward at a frightening speed. The tower crashed to the ground and landed in the exact spot they had been only a moment ago.

Xion peered behind her to see what was pushing them forward.

"Axel!" She exclaimed. The red haired man shook his head.

"Nope. I'm not Axel anymore. The name's, Lea. Got it memorized?" Axel, or Lea as he was calling himself now, smiled warmly at the two of them. The three friends slowed down at the edge of a cliff and turned to watch the remainder of the castle, the symbol of their old life, crumble into nothing.

Roxas turned and threw himself at Lea in a huge hug. Xion followed him.

"I don't get it. How did you get here? And what's with the name change?" He asked. Xion had refused to let go of him just yet.

"Well I got here the same way you did. I used a portal. As for the name change? That'll take some explaining." He said smiling down at Roxas. It was then that they noticed something was different about him. The marks under his eyes were gone. Roxas was sure they had been permanent.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. I'll explain everything back in town." Lea said finally prying Xion off of his hip. Roxas wrapped an arm around her shoulders and wiped away a tear that had escaped her.

The three friends walked through a portal that Lea created and appeared in Twilight Town once again.

"Let's get on the M train to see Yen Sid. He said to bring you to him once I found you." Lea announced as the portal closed behind them. Xion had wrapped an arm around Roxas' waist and hadn't said a word. This wasn't unusual for her but never the less, she never stopped smiling.

"Spill it." Said Roxas After several silent moments.

Lea turned and faced them, scratching the back of his head.

"I guess I'd better huh?" He sighed. The others nodded.

"Well about a year ago, actually shortly before you showed up, Roxas, Xemnas had started the Kingdom Hearts project. You already knew that though. You worked it all year." Roxas nodded at this.

"Anyways, Xemnas was growing increasingly impatient with the slow progress so he told Vexen to find a way to replicate a heart. I guess he managed to do it. About two weeks ago I had been snooping around the castle and found Vexen's lab. He had this huge glass orb filled with these little lights that darted around. I'm assuming they were hearts but I couldn't get a good look at them; they wouldn't stop moving."

Axel took a breath to collect his thoughts before he continued.

"When I woke up in Yen Sid's tower, I felt more alive, I could feel things like never before. I was worried about you guys and I felt the fear stronger than ever. Yen Sid told me he had seen a heart dart through his window and enter my body. He also told me once it did, I healed faster and that's when I woke up." By this time the trio had boarded the M train and we're halfway to their destination. Roxas nodded. He remembered seeing little lights flying away from the castle as it fell.

"Lea, do you think Xion and I will get hearts too? I mean if what you said is correct, then that means those other hearts are looking for their own nobodies. But with the organization dead, they won't have anywhere to go." Roxas spoke with a faint glimmer of hope. Lea shrugged at this. There was no telling what a heart would do. And Lea had been without his for so long.

"Roxas, I really don't know how to answer that one buddy. I'm just as in the dark about this as you are." Lea replied somberly. He wanted his friends to have hearts too, but he wasn't sure they would ever gain them unless they went back to-

Lea cut the thought short. He wouldn't think about it. Not now anyway.

The train came to a stop and the three friends left. Lea lead the way out of the train station and outside. The sky was twilight again. It almost always seemed to be like that here. But no one seemed to mind it either. It was home, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

"This way." Lea called from ahead of them. Xion hurried to catch up with him followed by Roxas. Looking at him now, Xion could see there was something different about Lea. He seemed, lighter, more animated. Like he had been sleeping the whole time they had known him. Xion shook her head and smiled.

"Hey wait up." She called as she tried to catch up.

They rounded another corner and stopped. In the distance they could see the clocktower. It seemed so small from where they stood. But before that, they saw a tall twisted tower. It's windows had been carved out of the side of the rounded structure and were shaped like moons and stars.

"Yen Sid is waiting for us." Lea announced and headed to the door of the tower. He pushed it open wide and held it for his friends.

Inside was an array of odds and ends. Books lined every wall and a staircase wound up along the interior. Lea took point and lead them up the stairs until they came to another room. This one was much cleaner than the one below. This one held a mirror on one side framed in gold. In the middle of the room sat a large wooden desk, empty save for a single large book. On the opposite wall hung, a Keyblade? Roxas squinted to make sure he was really seeing it.

Sure enough, a Keyblade hung from the wall hilt up. It's guard was made up of what appeared to be a pair of red and black bat wings. The shaft of the blade was far more complicated. The base of the shaft was black and jutted of the guard as two separate parts. They connected again in the middle, crisscrossing with a third and fourth base of red and white. The whole thing extended as one menacing barb that lead to the teeth of the blade. Three large arrow points exploded from one side each in a different direction. The whole thing was beautiful and at the same time, frightening.

"I see you've noticed the Rapture Keyblade." Said a gruff voice. The three of them whirled around to see Yen Sid ascending the steps into the room. He made his slow way behind the desk and sat. His pointed blue hat was off, leaving his balding head to shine.

"I brought them just like you asked, Master Yen Sid." Lea said respectfully.

"Master?" Roxas and Xion asked at once. The old man nodded.

"That's right. I was once a Keyblade master as well." He explained.

"What happened?" Xion asked. Then wished she hadn't seeing how she barely knew this man. She was saved by the small smile he gave her.

"The same thing that happens to everyone. I got old. I set my sights on other things. But I still work in the interest of balance that must be maintained in the worlds." He explained. He waved his hand and three wooden chairs walked up the stairs. Actually walked, and sat themselves in front of the trio who sat in them quietly.

"Your friend here was lucky." Yen Sid said changing the subject.

"After I took him, I had to work quickly to heal his injuries. I assume he has already told you about our stroke of luck?"

Roxas and Xion nodded as one.

"Good, that means I don't have to bore you with the details again. Now, did you take care of Marluxia?" Yen Sid continued.

Roxas nodded but Xion spoke.

"We took care of the whole organization actually. The Castle Oblivion has lived up to its name, so to speak." She answered timidly. The old man's eyebrows went up.

"Not ones for simplicity are you?" He asked. The trio smiled.

"No I suppose not. How could you be? Considering the intricacies of your own story."

Roxas shifted nervously in his seat. Yen Sid, noticed this and turned his gaze directly onto the nobody. Roxas took this as his cue to speak.

"I was wondering, the organization had managed to replicate hearts, but now that they are gone, is there a chance that Xion and I will get our own?" He asked. He was so hopeful that his words almost came out as a shout of desperation. But he managed to reign in his emotion just enough. The old Master seemed to think about this for a while. Then he spoke.

"There is a small chance this could happen. However, considering where you both come from, there is a much larger chance of just the opposite. You two are not nobodies formed the same way Axel was. Lea's heart was stolen. Sora's was not. I suppose we should all hope for the best." Yen Sid's voice was frustratingly calm.

"But if thirteen hearts were made, but only one was used," Xion said gesturing to Lea.

"Wouldn't that leave us twelve chances?"

Yen Sid shook his head.

"Eleven at best." He said. "There is an other nobody that the organization held power over. Her name is Namine'. She is part of the reason you all came to be. But that is a story for another time."

Xion nodded. She remembered Namine'. She had met her once before at the mansion. Roxas leaned back in his chair unsure of what to say next. It was Lea that broke the silence.

"Master Yen Sid, I was wondering, what does it take? To become a Keyblade wielder I mean?" He asked. Yen Sid seemed almost surprised to hear him ask. Then he stood. The old master waved Lea up and summoned a Keyblade. It was a sight to behold. The shaft was warped to one side in a smooth arc. The guard covered both side of the grip in a wide arc of blue and yellow wings that met at the pommel at a large yellow star. The shaft was blue and decorated with more stars that traveled up to the teeth. The edge of the blade was rounded off and held a single moon and star.

"Lea, you have shown the heart of a Keyblade wielder. You have placed others before yourself. You have chosen the path of light rather than darkness. And in doing so, it has lead you to the path of balance. Step forth." As Yen Sid spoke, the room grew tense. It was not a bad tension. Rather it was the tension one would feel as they witness something truly remarkable.

Lea stepped forward, nervous as to what would happen next. Master Yen Sid took the Keyblade in his opposite hand, holding it by the shaft of the blade, and spoke.

"_In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love._"

When Yen Sid finished, Lea lifted a hand, hesitated, then took hold of the Keyblade. It was so different compared to the chakrams he was so used to.

A moment later, Yen Sid took the Keyblade back and banished it in a flash of light.

"You have a long journey ahead of you, Lea. Are you sure you are ready?" He asked. Lea looked behind him at his friends. Roxas and Xion, smiled back. Lea nodded and looked again at Yen Sid. Lea nodded once and smiled.

"If I'm not, I know I'll have these two to kick my butt into gear." He said proudly. Yen Sid smiled and nodded.

"It has been a long time since I trained anyone. Mickey, the king, was a rather eager student. But Ryxo... I wish I could have done better with him. But I have a feeling you will do just fine. We will begin tomorrow."

Roxas and Xion smiled at each other. Soon Lea would be a Keyblade master, and then they would truly never be apart. Roxas' eyes drifted to the Keyblade on the wall. Curiosity overwhelmed him as he asked,

"Master Yen Sid, who does that Keyblade belong to?"

Master Yen Sid stared at the Rapture Keyblade that hung from his wall. He seemed to be far away in thought; or perhaps even in memory. But finally the old master smiled wistfully.

"That young man, is a story I have not told in a very, very long time. Would you like to hear it?" He asked still smiling.

Lea sat back down and the three of them nodded together.

"Well then," the old man sat behind his desk again. The three Keyblade wielders before him sat starry eyed as he began. "That Keyblade belonged to an old dear friend of mine, named Master Shinsei. He was the only person I ever knew to become a heartless, then fight his way back and regain his heart. You see the two of us grew up together..."

The End

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**Well that's it. I'm actually really sad to finish this one. I've had so much fun writing it. Anyways, if you would like to read the rest of Yen Sid's story about master Shinsie, look for my brother DarrianBlack. If you would like to learn about Ryxo (the student Yen Sid mentioned) look up Silas-Windsor. Keep in mind that the three of us have coordinated these three stories to link together. I hope you enjoyed this one. Next will be for all of my fellow Black Butler fans!**

**thank you again!**

**-DB**


End file.
